The Kids Reading Across RI Committee is proud to announce that The Aquanaut by Dan Santat is the 2023 selection!

From the publisher:

Ever since her father was lost at sea, Sophia has been moping around Aqualand, the marine theme park her dad and uncle created. But Sophia's world is turned upside down when an "aquanaut" breaks into the park's research lab.

To her amazement, Sophia discovers that the aquanaut is not what it seems -- inside lives a band of four goofy sea creatures! And when they all realize that Aqualand has evolved into something much darker than Sophia's dad had envisioned, Sophia is determined to help the aquanaut crew free the park's captive marine life before it's too late.

Reviews:

Publisher's Weekly

School Library Journal

The Horn Book

Sets of the 2023 KRARI selection The Aquanaut are available to schools and public libraries planning to lead a KRARI book discussion this spring and summer. Please use the appropriate form below to request a book set. Requests must be made using the appropriate form by March 31, 2023. Book sets will be delivered mid-April - May.

Questions about book distribution may be addressed to:

Danielle Margarida

Youth Services Coordinator, RI Office of Library and Information Services

danielle.margarida@olis.ri.gov

Tuesday, March 21

4:00pm-5:00pm

Register for Zoom link

The Center for the Book and the RI Office of Library and Information Services is kicking off its 2023 Kids Reading Across RI season with The Aquanaut by Dan Santat. Join us for this virtual information session to learn more about the title and themes, and what the KRARI committee has planned for this year's program.

The session will include:

• Overview of the Kids Reading Across Rhode Island
• Introduction to the 2023 selection and LibGuide
• Requesting a book set
• In-person kickoff event (the first since 2019!)
• Ways to get involved in KRARI in the future

This session will be recorded and will be made available for those who cannot attend live.

Public libraries and youth serving organizations are invited to participate in the May 13 kickoff event at the State House. This will be the first year that we have had an in-person event since 2019! The event is scheduled for 2pm-4pm and set-up begins at 1pm. It's a great opportunity to promote your library and summer reading program to families from all over the state. In the past libraries have had tables with activities related to the summer reading theme or the KRARI book. Your activity may be a craft, a STEM demo, or an interactive exhibit. Check out photos from the 2019 event and indicate you want to participate on the book request form. If you are not requesting a KRARI book set but would still like to participate in the kickoff, please let us know.

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Office of Library & Information Services

Rhode Island Center for the Book

The Alletta Morris McBean Charitable Trust

TD Charitable Foundation

Sponsors:

The Pell Center at Salve Regina University

Rhode Island Library Association

Rhode Island PBS

School Librarians of Rhode Island

Barrington Books

Books on the Square

Charter Books

Ink Fish Books

Savoy Bookshop & Cafe

The Rhode Island Center for the Book is pleased to partner with the American Library Association in support of Unite Against Book Bans, a national grassroots campaign to engage the public in the fight against censorship. This non-partisan campaign leverages the reach of national organizations representing librarians; educators; parents; authors, publishers; distributors; champions for civil liberties, civil rights, and equality; and more.

We invite you to raise your voice for the right to read:

• Join the Rhode Island Center for the Book Unite Against Book Bans Advocacy Committee to help us fight book bans and soft censorship in our state.

• Connect with thousands of others and sign up to Unite Against Book Bans: join and follow Unite Against Book Bans.

• Spread the word on social media. Here are some graphics.

Email kate@ribook.org to get involved.

Together, we will defeat censorship!

The RI Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee has created a form for reporting material challenges and other forms of censorship taking place in Rhode Island. This will allow the committee to track the censorship happening in RI to be better informed on how to help. The committee will also report the data to ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom if the respondent chooses, so those facing book bans and other censorship attempts can report to the state and national library organization using only one form. The Intellectual Freedom Committee encourages any librarian, library staff member, or educator to report any incident of attempted censorship happening at your institution, no matter how small, using this new form. The link to the form can be found in the Intellectual Freedom Committee's webpage, linked below. Please share this information with your colleagues.

https://rilibraries.org/intellectual-freedom

Kids Reading Across Rhode Island, Rhode Island's One Book, One State community read program for kids, is kicking off its 14th year! This program, offered by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services in partnership with the Rhode Island Center for the Book, encourages students across the state in grades 4 through 6 to read the same book, and engage in community discussions and programs.

Email: danielle.margarida@olis.ri.gov
Website: http://www.olis.ri.gov/youth/krari/index.php
Phone: 401-574-9309